Sewer cleaner suction pipe



B. DANEMAN SEWER CLEANER SUCTION PIPE Get. 28, 1969 Filed April 24, 19682 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVE NTOR BEN DANEMAN BY DONALD E. PORTER ATTORNEY Oct.28, 1969 B. DANEMAN 3,474,484

SEWER CLEANER SUCTION PIPE Filed April 24, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR BEN DANEMAN BY DONALD E. PORTER ATTORNEY United States Patent3,474,484 SEWER CLEANER SUCTION PIPE Ben Daneman, Milwaukee, Wis.,assignor to Central Engineering Company, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Filed Apr. 24, 1968, Ser. No. 723,788 Int. Cl.A47l 9/02, 9/24 US. Cl. 15-414 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The useof vacuum-type debris collectors to remove trash, litter and debris fromroads, streets and catch basins is known in the art. One type ofcollector is shown in Patent No. 3,052,908 issued Sept. 11, 1962, to theinventor and includes an enclosed vacuum tank mounted on a truckchassis. A flexible nozzle may be selectively connected to openings inthe sides and the rear of the tank and a high vacuum drawn andmaintained in the tank by a high pressure vacuum-inducing blower.Suction thereby is provided at the lower or suction end of the flexiblenozzle, which may be used to vacuum-clean a street or road by moving thelower end of the nozzle back and forth over the debris to be collected.In order to vacuum debris from a sewer having its outlet in the wall ofa catch basin, it is necessary to attach a pipe to the lower end of thenozzle, insert the pipe in the catch basin with the suction end of thepipe in as close proximity of the sewer outlet as possible, and attemptto suck debris from the sewer outlet into the suction end of the pipeand through the pipe and the nozzle into the vacuum tank.

However, because the diameter of the street level opening of the catchbasin, through which the pipe must be inserted, ordinarily issubstantially smaller than the catch basins diameter in the vicinity ofthe sewer outlet, and because the sewer outlet ordinarily is positionedin the catch basins wall above the midpoint thereof, it is virtuallyimpossible to place the suction end of the pipe in substantiallyairtight communication with the sewer outlet, as is required toefliciently and completely vacuum debris therefrom.

The present invention provides an improved sewer cleaner suction pipe,which includes an elbow. A rotation section and an angulation sectionare provided for mounting between the nozzle and the elbow; and a swivelmay be included in the elbow for adjustably rotating the suction end ofthe elbow to change the angle of inclination of the plane of the suctionend to approximately the angle of inclination of the sewer outlet.

When the improved suction pipe is to be used to clean a sewer, theoperator (after determining the plane of the sewer outlet) may rotatethe suction end of the elbow on the swivel and thereby change the angleof inclination of the plane of the suction end until it approximates theangle of inclination of the plane of the sewer outlet; insert thesuction end of the suction pipe through the catch basin opening and intothe catch basin; lower the suction end to a position in the horizontalplane of the sewer outlet; rotate the rotation section (and, therefore,the elbow and the suction end thereof) around the center line of therotation section until the section end is in a position facing the seweroutlet; if necessary because of the diameter of the catch basin, anglethe angulation section so that the suction end of the elbow is in closeproximity to the sewer outlet; and, by moving the rotation sectionhorizontally toward the sewer outlet, move the suction end to and placethe suction end in substantially airtight communication with the seweroutlet to vacuum debris therefrom.

The best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a sewer cleanersuction pipe embodying the present invention inserted in a catch basin,with the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end of theelbow approximating the angle of inclination of the plane of the outletof a sewer in the wall of the catch basin adjacent the top thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a sewer cleanersuction pipe embodying the present invention, as employed to clean asewer having its outlet adjacent the bottom of a catch basin, with thesuction pipe including an angled angulation section.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the suction pipe shown inFIGURE 1, illustrating the attachment of the rotation section to thenozzle, and with the swivel collar and control handle of the rotationsection, the mounting collar for attaching the elbow to the rotationsection, and the swivel collar of the elbow opened to illustrate theirrespective relationships with the rotation section and the elbow.

The sewer cleaner suction pipe '1 is attached to the flexible nozzle 2of vacuum-type debris collector 3. The collector 3 is mounted on aself-propelled truck or like vehicle 4 and includes a fully enclosed andself-contained vacuum tank 5, which may be of any suitable type. Asillustrated herein, the tank 5 is of the type described in Patent No.3,052,908, issued Sept 11, 1962, to the inventor; and the nozzle 2, theconnection thereof to the tank 5, and the means of drawing andmaintaining a high vacuum in the tank 5 are as described in such patent.Thus, when a vacuum is drawn from the tank 5 by such means, suction isprovided at the lower or suction end 6 of the nozzle 2 in the knownmanner.

SEWER CLEANER SUCTION PIPE The sewer cleaner suction pipe 1 iscomprised, generally, of tubular sections, including a first or rotationsection 7 adapted to be attached to the lower end 6 of the nozzle 2, anda second section or elbow 8 which may be attached to the rotationsection 7.

Although it would be possible to attach the elbow 8 directly to thelower end 6 of the nozzle 2, the construction and composition of thenozzle 2 would not permit any substantial degree of rotation of theelbow 8 about the center line of the nozzle 2. Accordingly, it ispreferred to provide rotation means for rotatably attaching the elbow 8to the lower end 6 of the nozzle 2, whereby the elbow 8 may be rotatedthrough a complete 360 degrees of rotation about the center line of thenozzle 2. As shown, the rotation means are of the type described andshown in the copending application of the inventor entitled DebrisCollector Suction Pipe, Ser. No. 688,499, filed Dec. 6, 1967, andcomprise a rotation section 7 which includes an upper or attachmentportion 9. In order to attach the suction pipe 1 to the nozzle 2, theupper end of the attachment portion 9 is inserted in the lower end 6 ofthe nozzle 2, which is secured therearound by means of a split-ring andbolt assembly 10. The other or lower end of the attachment portion 9defines an outwardly extending flange 11, which slidably abuts acorresponding outwardly extending flange 12 on the upper end of thelower or rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7.

The two flanges 11 and 12 are held in such slidably abuttingrelationship by a swivel collar 14, of generally U- shapedcross-section, which loosely surrounds the flanges 11 and 12. The swivelcollar 14 is comprised of two generally semicircular or arcuate sections15 and 16. One section 15 is 'hingedly or pivotally connected at onepivot end thereof to a corresponding pivot end of the other section 16by a hinge or pivot 17 between such ends; and the other or open ends ofthe two sections 15 and 16 are bolted to each other by a bolt 18 and anut 19 threaded thereon. When the nut 19 is threaded home on the bolt18, the two sections 15 and 16 are drawn toward each other and intoloose surrounding relationship with the flanges 11 and 12, therebyholding flanges 11 and 12 in slidably abutting relationship andpermitting the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 to berotated about its center line Without inducing any correspondingrotation of the attachement portion 9 thereof or the nozzle 2.

To enable the operator to easily direct and rotate the suction pipe 1, acontrol handle 20 is provided for removable mounting around therotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7. The handle 20 comprisestwo virtually identical sections 21 and 22, having semicircular bases 23and 24. One base 23 is hingedly connected at one end thereof to acorresponding end of the other base 24 by a 'hinge 25; and the otherends of the two bases 23 and 24 are connected by a cam latch 26. Whenthe rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 is inserted in thespace between the two bases 23 and 24 and the cam latch 26 is moved toits closed position, the two bases 23 and 24 are drawn toward each otherand into tight surrounding relationship with the exterior surface of therotatable portion 13. Identical handle bar assemblies 27 and 28 arewelded to and extend outwardly from, respectively, the two bases 23 and24.

The other or lower end of the rotatable portion 13 of the rotationsection 7 defines an outwardly extending flange 30. Ideally, the planeof the upper end of the elbow 8 should be substantially horizontal, andthat of the lower or suction end thereof, substantially vertical. Inother words, the planes of the two ends should be substantiallyperpendicular to each other. Although the elbow 8 could be constructedof only two tubular portions (a vertical section and a horizontalsection), it is preferred that the elbow 8 have a generally curvedconfiguration, in order to present a relatively smooth interior surfaceto the vacuumed debris and thereby reduce the likelihood that the debriswill collect Within and clog the elbow 8. To obtain such a configurationwithout greatly adding to the costs of manufacture, it is preferred thatthe elbow 8 be comprised of not less than three portions attached toeach other so that the intersections of their respective center linesdefine obtuse angles. Accordingly, as shown, the elbow 8 is comprised ofan upper portion 31, a middle portion 32 fixedly attached to the bottomedge of the upper portion 31, and a lower portion 33 fixedly attached tothe bottom edge of the middle portion 32, with the center lines of eachof the portions 31, 32 and 33 intersecting the center line of theportion to which it is attached at an intersection angle ofapproximately 135 degrees.

The upper end of the upper portion 31 defines an outwardly extendingflange 34. It is preferred to employ a mounting collar 35 to hold theflange of the rotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 and theflange 34 of the upper portion 31 of the elbow 8 in tight abuttingrelationship with each other. The mounting collar 35 is substantiallysimilar in design, construction and function to the swivel collar 14except that an over-center clamp 36, rather than the bolt 18 and nut 19of the swivel collar 14, is employed to draw the two sections 37 and 38of the mounting collar 35 into tight surrounding relationship with theflanges 30 and 34. The use of such a mounting collar 35 permits theready attachment to the flange 30 of any tubular attachment having aflange on its upper end similar to flange 34.

As is shown in the illustrated embodiments, a swivel may be included inthe middle portion 32 of the elbow 8 in order to permit the operator ofthe suction pipe 1 to adjustably rotate the suction end 39 of the lowerportion 33 about the center line of the middle portion 32 to therebychange the angle of inclination of the plane of the suction end 39 andto cause it to approximate the 7 angle of inclination of the plane ofthe outlet 40 of a sewer 41 which ordinarily, as shown in FIGURES 1 and2, is vertical. By virtue of the generally curved configuration of theelbow 8 which results from the approximately degree intersection anglebetween the center lines of the lower portion 33 and the middle portion32 in their normal positions, rotation of the suction end 39 throughdegrees of rotation will change the angle of inclination of the plane ofthe suction end 39 and thereby rotate the suction end 39 between a sewercleaning position, in which the plane of the suction end 39 issubstantially vertical, and a catch basin cleaning position, in whichits plane is a substantially horizontal plane. The suction end 39thereby may be placed in a horizontal plane wherein the suction pipe 1may be used to vacuum the periphery of the bottom of a shallow catchbasin 29 or (if an extension tube, not shown, or the angulation section42 shown in FIGURE 2 is mounted between the rotation section 7 and theelbow 8) a relatively deep catch basin 29.

The swivel is comprised of a swivel collar 43, which is identical indesign, construction and function to the swivel collar 14 whereby therotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 is rotatably attached tothe attachment portion 9 thereof. Thus, when the nut 44 is threaded homeon the bolt 45, the two arcuate sections 46 and 47 of the swivel collarare drawn toward each other and into loose surrounding relationship withabutting flanges 48 and 49 on, respectively, the fixed section 50 andswivel section 51 of the middle portion 32, thereby holding the flanges48 and 49 in slida-bly abutting relationship and permitting the swivelsection 51 to be rotated about its center line without inducing anycorresponding rotation of the fixed section 50.

As shown in FIGURE 2, an angulationsection 42 may be provided to enablethe operator of the suction pipe 1 to extend the range of the suctionend 39 thereof in order to place the suction end 39 of the suction pipe1 in substantially airtight communication with the outlet 40 of a sewer41 flowing into a catch basin 29 having a substantial diameter, as shownin FIGURE 2. The angulation section 42 shown is of the type describedand shown in the inventors copending application entitled DebrisCollector Suction Pipe, Ser. No. 688,499, filed Dec. 6, 1967, and iscomprised of an upper or fixed portion 52 and a lower or jointed portion53.The upper end of the fixed portion 52 defines an outwardly extendingflange (not shown), which is held in tightly abutting relationship withthe flange 30 on the lower end of the rotatable portion 13 of therotation section 7 by a mountmg collar 35. The angulation section 42is'the'reby attached to the rotation section 7. The jointed portion 53of the angulation section 42 is swingably connected to the fixed portion52 by means of a hinge 54 at one'side of the angulation section 42. Acam latch 55 is provided at the other side thereof for angling theangulation sectron 42. In order to provide a substantially airtightjoint between the fixed portion 52 and the jointed portion 53 when theangulation section 42 is angled, seal means in the form of atrusto-conical joint filler 56 are mounted on the upper end of thejointed portion 53, with the lower base diameter of the joint filler 56equal to the inside diameter of the fixed portion 52. When the cam latch55 is opened to its open position as shown in FIG- URE 2, and theangulation section 42 thereby angled about the hinge 54, the jointfiller 56 is partially withdrawn from the interior of the fixed portion52 until the wall 57 of the joint filler 56 abuts the interior surfaceof the fixed portion 52, forming a substantially airtight sealtherebetween.

The lower end of the jointed portion53 defines an outwardly extendingflange (not shown), which is held, by means of a mounting collar 35, intightly abuttingrelationship with the flange 34 on the upper end of theupper portion 31 of the elbow 8; and the elbow 8 is thereby attached tothe angulation section 42.

OPERATION OF APPARATUS The following is a brief summary of the use andoperation of the improved sewer cleaner suction pipe 1 to vacuum debrisfrom a sewer 41.

After the trunk 4 has been driven to the catch basin 29 and the nozzle 2has been mounted on the tank 5 of the vacuum-type debris collector 3, ifthe sewer cleaner suction pipe 1 has not already been assembled andattached to the nozzle 2, the operator inserts the upper end of theattachment portion 9 of the rotation section 7 in the lower end 6 of thenozzle 2 and secures the lower end 6 therearound by means of thesplit-ring and the bolt assembly 10. If the flange 11 of the attachmentportion 9 has not theretofore been placed in abutting relationship withflange 12 of the rotatable portion 13, the operator places the twoflanges 11 and 12 in abutting relationship with each other. He thenplaces the open swivel collar 14 around the flanges 11 and 12, bolts thetwo sections 15 and 16 to each other by means of bolt 18, and threadsnut 19 home on bolt 18, thereby drawing the two sections 15 and 16 intoloose surrounding relationship with flanges 11 and 12. The operator (ifthe control handle 20 is not already mounted around the rotatableportion 13) inserts the lower end of the rotatable portion 13 in thespace between the two open semicircular bases 23 and 24 and moves thecam latch 26 to its closed position, thereby drawing the two bases 23and 24 toward each other and into tight surrounding relationship withthe exterior surface of the rotatable portion 13. If it is intended touse the suction pipe 1 to clean a sewer 41 emptying into a catch basin29 such as is shown in FIGURE 2, which has a substantial diameter, theoperator may attach the angulation section 42 to the rotation section 7by placing the outwardly extending flange (not shown) on the upper endof the fixed portion 52 of the angulation section 42 in abuttingrelationship with the flange 30 on the lower end of the rotatableportion 13 of the rotation section 7. The operator then places amounting collar around the two flanges, closes the overcenter clamp 36,and thereby draws the two sections 37 and 38 of the mounting collar 35into tight surrounding relationship with the two flanges and attachesthe angulation section 42 to the rotation section 7. The operator thensimilarly places the flange 34 of the upper portion 31 of the elbow 8 inabutting relationship with the outwardly extending flange (not shown) onthe lower end of the jointed portion 53 and closes a mounting collar 35therearound, thereby clamping the two flanges tightly to each other andattaching the elbow '8 to the angulation section 42.

If the elbow 8 includes a swivel, the operator then approximates thedegree of verticalness of the plane of the outlet 40 of the sewer 41 androtates the suction end 39 about the center line of the fixed section 50of the middle portion 32 and thereby changes the angle of inclination ofthe plane of the suction end 39 and the suction end 39 until itapproximates the angle of inclination of the plane of the outlet 40 ofthe sewer 41 and the suction end 39 is in its sewer cleaning position.The operator then inserts the elbow 8 and the angulation section 42 intothe catch basin 29 until the center line of the suction end 39approximates that of the outlet 40 of the sewer 41. By moving the camlatch 55 of the angulation section 42 to its open position, as shown inFIGURE 2, the operator may angle the angulation section 42 about thehinge 54 and cause the joint filler 56 to be partially withdrawn fromthe interior of the fixed portion 52 until the wall 57 of the jointfiller 56 abuts the interior of the fixed portion 52. The suction end 39of the elbow 8 thereby may be placed in close proximity to the wall ofthe catch basin 29. He then grasps the control handle 20 and rotates therotatable portion 13 of the rotation section 7 and the elbow 8 until thesuction end 39 faces the outlet 40 of the sewer 41. By moving thesuction pipe 1 in a horizontal direction towards the outlet 40 of thesewer 41, the operator may move the suction end 39 into substantiallyairtight communication with the outlet 40. When the operator activatesthe means of drawing and maintaining the vacuum in the tank 5, debriswill be sucked from the sewer 41 and through the suction pipe 1 andnozzle 2 into the vacuum tank 5.

I claim:

1. In a suction pipe for attachment to the nozzle of a vehicle-mountedvacuum debris collector and insertion in a catch basin having a wall andan outlet of a sewer in the wall,

an elbow having an upper end, a suction end adapted to be placed insubstantially airtight communication with the outlet of the sewer forvacuuming debris therefrom, a generally curved portion intermediate theupper end and the suction end, and a swivel mounted in the generallycurved portion whereby the suction end may be rotated to change theangle of inclination of the plane of the suction end and rotate thesuction end between a sewer cleaning position, in which the angle ofinclination of the plane of the suction end approximates the angle ofinclination of the plane of the outlet of the sewer, and a catch basincleaning position, without thereby inducing any rotation in the upperend,

rotation means for rotatably attaching the suction pipe to the nozzle,and

manual rotation control means mounted on the exterior of the suctionpipe adjacent the rotation means for controllably rotating the suctionpipe about the center line of the rotation means to remotely positionthe suction end of the elbow.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the elbow is comprised of not lessthan three portions including a generally vertical upper portion, amiddle portion and a generally horizontal lower portion, with the middleportion intermediate and attached to th upper portion and the lowerportion so that the intersections of their respective center linesdefine obtuse intersection angles, and with the swivel mounted in themiddle portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the obtuse intersection angles eachare approximately degrees.

4. The apparatus in claim 1 and an angulation section comprising:

a jointed portion having a lower end attached to the upper end of theelbow,

a fixed portion,

connection means for swingably connecting the jointed portion to thefixed portion whereby the angulation section may be angled to place thesuction end of the elbow in close proximity to the wall of the catchbasin, and

seal means for effecting a substantially airtight seal between the fixedportion and the jointed portion when the angulation section is angled.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the generally curved portion of theelbow includes slida-bly abutting outwardly extending flanges, and theswivel comprises channel members, each having a generally U-shapedcross-section, an arcuate shape, a pivot end and an open end,

a pivot pivotally connecting the pivot ends of the channel members, and

means for drawing the open ends of the channel members together wherebythe channel members may be 7 8 drawn into loose surrounding relationshipwith the OTHER REFERENCES abutmg flanges Bulletin v-3, Vac-A11, byCentral Engineering Co.

References Cited Inc., 4429 W. State St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53208.

UNITED STA ES PATENTS 5 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner 2,379,6327/1945 FOiSy 285-276 us. 01. X.R. 3,273,942 9/1966 McFarland 302 34 1 14340 FOREIGN PATENTS 964,919 7/1964 Great Britain.

